Bicycle lamp



Jan. 25, 1938. M lwlLEY 2,106,231

BICYCLE LAMP Filed March 27, 1937 9 A TTORNE YS.

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED s'rlsxrlzsy PATENTA ori-fiele;v

\ BIoYcLE LAMP Lee M. Wiley, Marion, Ina., assignor' to Delta, Electric Company, Marion, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application March 27, 1937, Serial No.v 133,328

(Cl. 24o-7.55)

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric lamp unit and particularly relates to electric lamp units adapted for use on bicycles.

Certain of the features disclosed in the present l an improved .unitary lamp structure which may be readily and economically assembled; to provide an improved supportpr mounting member for a light reflector, battery holder, and an electric lswitch by which the reector, the dry cells, and the switch may be secured to the supporting member for mounting within the lamp casing; to provide a lamp structure having an elongated casing and an elongated supporting member lmounted therein in spaced relation to the Ainner walls of the casing, the construction of said elongated mounting member being such that it may be secured to a rivet on said casing adjacent the innermost ends thereof by a simple. longitudinal movement to secure said rivet within an open slot in the rear edge of said elongated member; to provide an improved structure lwhereby the light reector may be releasably held in position :[30 while the lens and retainer ring are being assembled to the casing; and to provide a compact simplified lamp unit attractive in appearance and inexpensive -to manufacture.

Other objects 'of the invention will become apdrawing relating thereto, and

' hereinafter set forth.l

In the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views 40 throughout:

from the claims Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sec- Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substan 50 tially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal side elevational view of a unitary supporting or mounting means embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view taken substantially along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

' parent from the following specification, the- 'Fig '7 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially along the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;- and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan View taken substantially along the line 8 -8 of Fig. 5.

According to the present invention an independent lamp structure for mounting on bicycles y dispensesl withthe necessity of separated parts and cumbersome wiring by providing a unitary supportingor mounting means for mounting'the light reiiector, the dry cells, and the switch which may be assembledand secured to the casing in an improved manner. The improved supporting or mounting means includes an elongated substantially cylindrical main body portion which is of a resilient material and is slotted throughout its length for supporting therein dry cells. The dry cells may be removed from the supporting member mounted within the casing in the man.

Aner described and claimed in the copending ap' plication referred to above.

The supporting member also has formed integral therewith a longitudinal extension adjacent f the inner edge which is provided with an open or U-shaped slot at its edge and which-is prolvided with openings therethrough for mounting thereon an electric switch. An electric switch may be mounted and secured to the holder or mounting member before its assembly within the in position on the unitary supporting or mounting member while the lens and retainer ring are being assembled to the casing. This means includes lugs formed on -the `reector for removable reception within slots provided adjacent the front edge of the mounting member. g

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in detail. An electric .lamp unit, generally indicated at I1,.comprises a main body casing or shell which is made up of an upper section I8 and a lower section I9, each section being substantially semi-circular in shape in transverse section and being joined alongtheir horizontally disposed edges so that transverse sections of the assembled sections forming the main body portion or shell are substantially circular in form. The sections' are extremely long and are curved longitudinally gradually tapering toward the rear to give a streamlined effect and to close the rear end, the casing terminating in an opening in the front end. The lower section has an outwardly and horizontally formed iiange 20 extendingtherearound and the upper section has an outwardly extending ange 2l of greater length than the flange 20, the flange 2I being rolled over and clamped to the flange 20, as best shown in Fig. 4, to form a horizontal n or bead around the head portion of the lamp unit and rigidly securing the two sections together. front edge portion of the sections I8 and I9 are oifset inwardly around the periphery thereof at 25-.to provide a seat for the front or retaining ring portion 28 when the sections are assembled.

As disclosed in the copending application referred to, when dry cells become exhausted they very'often expand, and if they initially t their holder with any degree of tightness, upon expansion they will become more tightly held within the holder often freezing therein and making it exceptionally difficult to remove them when it is desired to insert new batteries. Since it is desirable that the dry cells be securely held in position at all times, a resilient holder which will securely hold the cells when initially placed therein but' which will permitl their expansion upon exhaustion and yet permit ready removal of the exhausted dry cells is provided.

. It is evident that as the present 4invention is directed to a lamp unit which is relatively small in size that assembly of the elements making up the unit is a diicult problem, as relatively small spaces are available for the reception and manipulation of tools for securing the parts relative to each other. The-present invention provides a structure by which the construction and assembly of the elements to provide the unitary lamp structure are relatively simple.

According to the present invention a. unitary mounting or supporting member generally lindicated at 3D is provided for mounting a lamp reflector 32, dry cells 34, and anelectric switch element 36. The holder or mounting member 30 comprises an elongated substantially cylindrical resilient sheet metal member 38 having a longitudinally extending slot 40 throughout its length. Dry cells 34 are resiliently and removably held in the cylindrical portion 38; 'and in the illustration shown two dry cells in series are mounted within the holder, but it is to ,be understood that the holder may be of such a size and length that any desired number of dry cells may b-e mounted therein. By constructing the holder of resilient or readily yieldable material and providing the slot 40 it can be seen that upon expansion of the exhausted dry cells that they may be removed l Without undue binding Within the holder.

A longitudinal extension 42 is formed integral with the cylindrical member 3B adjacent the rear and lower end thereof, the extension 42 being formed to conform to the shape of the shell contacted by the extension when the parts-are assembled. The extension member 42 is provided with an open or U-shaped slot 44 in its rear edge for securing the holder 30 to the casing at the rear edge. A shouldered rivet 46 is secured to the casing I9 with the shoulder of the rivet in, wardly spaced from the inner wall of the casing member for reception within the open slot 44 when the holder is 'mounted Within the casing.

The-

in diametrically opposed relation.

shoulder of the rivet thus engages the upper surface of the extension 42 within the'slot 44.

The electric switch element 36. is mounted to the extension 42 by means of rivets 48, or the like, which extend through openings 58 provided in the extension. Another opening 52 is provided through the extension 42 to receive therethrough the shiftable button 54 of the switch 36. The opening 52 is of course of such a length as to permit shifting of the button 54 within the opening. The switch 36 is thus secured to the extension membertZ before mounting the holder 30 within the casing which is a relatively simple operation. When mounted within the casing the button extends through an opening in the casing corresponding to the opening 52.

In order to removably mount the reflector 32 to the mounting member 30, a J-shaped slot 56 is provided in the front edge of the holder 3U with the edge opening of the slot substantially diametrically opposed to the front edge opening of the elongated slot 40. Another slot 51 is provided in the holder 30adjacent the front edge thereof,

the slot 51 opening into the elongated slot 40 at substantially right angles thereto. These slots thus provide for removably mounting the reector 32 to the holder in a manner to be described.

The reflector 32 is preferably. so constructed that it may be mounted in an oiiset relationship to the horizontal center line of the casing unit, so that the light beams reflected therefrom will be directed downwardly to form a bright spot in front of the bicycle close to the lamp when the lamp is mounted on the bicycle. with'its center line in a substantially horizontal plane. 'Ihis is accomplished preferably by constructing an extension 58 on the front of the main parabolic section BIJ of the reflector, the extension extending around the front periphery of the parabolic section, having its greatest width at the bottom and gradually diminishing in width to a point at the top. The reflector 32 is provided with rearwardly and radially inwardly extending lugs 62 and 64 Which are formed on the reflector 32 The lugs 62 and 64 are of such awidth that they may be received Within the front edge opening of the slots 56 and 40 respectively, and upon a slight turning ycasing adjacent the front thereof and to support the holder in spaced relation to the walls of the casing, a bracket portion 66 is formed integral with the holder 30 and downwardly offset therefrom. The bracket member 66 may then b secured to the casing by means of the rivet 68 or the like.

'Ihe details of the switch 3B per se are disclosed in the copending application referred to above, and the switch is preferably located between, the batteries and the shell in the ground circuit. The switch comprises a U-shaped Contact spring element 'I0 which is rigidly secured at one end to one end of a-switch terminal 'I2 in electrical contact therewith and is in resilient engagement kat the other end of the spring with one of the terminals of the rearmost battery 34. The spring'lll tends to force the batteries forwardly and will take up any looseness in the assembly by forcing the batteries forwardly and maintain contact between the circuit elements.

The electric circuit may be traced from the batteries through one end of the lamp lament of the' lamp 33 and out of the other end of the lament to the lamp base, through the metallic reflector unit to the holder 38, and from the holder 38 to assembled.

` Suitable means may be provided to rigidly mount the lamp casing unit upon the bicycle and in the embodiment illustrated a single stud 18 is attached to the lamp casing andis adapted to project through an opening in the mud guard. A nut 80 is provided for engagement with the under side of the guard and the stud to securely hold the unit in position on the guard. l

From the above it is evident that the present invention provides a simplified structure whereby the elements providing the unitaryv lamp may be conveniently and more economically constructed and assembled. By the provision of the unitary mounting or holding, member 30 the switch element 36 may be secured to the holder before insertion within the casing; and by the provision of the open slot 44 and therivet 46 the holder may .be mounted within the casing by a simple longitudinal sliding movement by which the rivet is engaged within the slot 44. Further the provision of the removable mounting on the reflector 32 to the holder 30 provides a simplified means for retaining the reector in position while the lens and retainer ring are being assembled tothe case.

Formal changes may be made in the specic embodiment of the invention illustrated without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims. Wha-t is claimed is: 1. An electric bicycle lamp unit comprising an elongated casing, an elongated substantially cylindrical dry cell holder mounted within said casing longitudinally thereof, and means supporting said dry cell holder in spaced relation to the walls of said casing, said last named' means including .a longitudinal extension on the rear end of said holder, said extension having an open slot adjacent its rear edgefor engagement with ing meanson said casing.

2. An electric bicycle lamp unit comprising an elongated casing, an elongated substantially cylindrical dry cell holder mounted within said casing longitudinally thereof, means securing said holder to said casing including a shoulder rivet secured to said casing with the shoulder thereof spaced from the lwall of said casing, and means a secur-- forming an open slot secured to said holder for engagement with said rivet.

3. An electric bicycle. lamp unit comprising an elongated casing, an elongated substantially cylindrical dry cell holder mounted within said casing longitudinally thereof, means supporting said holder in spaced relation to the walls of said casing, said means including a bracket member formed .integral with said holder and secured to elongated casing, an elongated substantially cy' lindrical dry cell holder mounted within said c asing longitudinally thereof, said holder being resilient and being slotted longitudinally thereof to permit expansion and ready removal of exhaustedl dry cells held therein, means sllpvrting said holder in spaced relation to th'e `walls of saidcasing, said last named means including a rearward- 1y directed'extension on said holder having a U- shaped slot adjacent the rear edge thereof, and

means secured to said casing received within said slot for securing said holder to said casing.

' 5. An electric bicycle lamp unit comprising an elongated casing, an elongated substantially cylindrical supporting member mounted within said casing longitudinally thereof, said member being resilient and being slotted to permit expansion and ready removal of exhausted dry cells held therein, means supporting said supporting member in spaced relation to the walls of said casing, said last named means including a longitudinal extension on said supporting member, an electric switch secured to said extension, a light reflector, means removably securing said reflector to said ,supporting member, and means secured to said casing securing said extension to said casing.

6. A unitary mounting member for a reector,

a dry cell, and an electric switch comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical member, said member being resilient and being slotted throughout its length, a longitudinal extension secured to one end of said member', a J-shaped slot through said member adjacent the other end thereof substantially diametrically opposed to said rst named slot, and another slot adjacentsaid last named end said last named slot opening intosa'id first named slot.

7. A unitary mounting member for a reector, a dry cell, andl a switch, comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical member, said member being resilient and being slotted throughout its length, a longitudinal extension having mounting openings therethrough forl an electric switch se- .cured to one end of said holder, a J-shaped slot 'opening through the other edge of said member substantially diametrically opposed to said first named slot, the width of said rst named slot being different from the width of the opening through the front edge of said last named slot, and another slot adjacent said last named end said last named slot opening into said rst named slot.

LEEM. WILEY. 

